The Black Panther has been an extremely diverse character effort due on Marvel's own part. It features a rich African landscape and centralized story in the same background and nature involving well translated characters. It has also been rumored at some point he will join The Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's a great story to begin with, the only problem is will the audience understand such an intense level of powerful detail to that background. The film Thor often struggled in the balance of the landscape in Asgard to Earth including the customs. So in good decisions it would be best to re-imagine the story of The Black Panther. I do believe in intentions it doesn't feel right to have a deep rooted story set in an environment so converse and the general populous of the setting not as "race" in tune or widely different in comparisons with Marvel's previous phase films. Also it would be best not knowing if people from the same culture would take offence to the portrayal.
For my suggestion to make The Black Panther more geared for a general audience is as follows.
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1. Make Wakanda is a City Located in South Africa instead of a Country : There has been talk The Avengers 2 will film there. It's a great location and in my opinion would set up the perfect modern day Wakanda as a city itself. The technology shouldn't be alienated to the world but in tune with what today has in modern society. It should look as a normal South African city with true to life real people for it to be understandable. The heavy political basis as seen in the original Black Panther could be kept and enriched to a more standard government basis. It could be done and translated in a way it just doesn't push the original material back.
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2. Character Name Changes : Most of the character names relating to the original Black Panther are very difficult to understand and pronounce. If given more modern name changes it will help the story progress through the audience even more. Also some of the names are debatable stereotyped to the culture itself. The name changes idea I have in mind suits the plot of the story as follows with a few examples of how it could work:
T'Challa - Terry Challace
T'Chaka - Thomas Akan
S'Yan - Yin Si
Erik Killmonger - Erick Monger
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3. Different Origins : We know the concept involving The Black Panther involves heavy mythos including symbolism involved. What if The Black Panther itself in this new take was a secret military experiment. Created similarly through the Super Soldier program that was seen in Captain America.
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4. The Story Idea : Terry Challace is an orphaned boy who grew up in the streets of the secluded urban city known as Wakanda. He does not know who he is and has idea of his mysterious past until now everythjng is about to come full cictcle in his life. Located within the city lies it's secrets and an experimental base rumoured to hold a powerful rock known as Vibranium. On an unfortunate evening Terry is randomly selected and taken by heavily armed men into the facility for secret research being done on a new ghost formula known as "The Black Panther". Here in the very same facility he meets his long lost father Governor Thomas Akan who is dying of sun radiation. He explains he has been developing a physical formula known as "The Black Panther" designed to enhance the mind and strength of ordinary humans. He wants Terry his only Son to be the test subject for the only dose of the formula that has been created which was derived from the Vibranium rock partially.
Terry agrees and goes through a long and psychological process. There he meets allies including a soldier named Erick Monger who he befriends. On the same day Terry is about to be injected with the formula a man named Klaw and a group of his following pirates rides into town. Klaw an adventuring pirate has heard of the rumors of the powerful Vibranium and will stop at nothing for control of the rock and the city itself. Klaw ravages the city of Wakanda tearing down buildings and turning the citizens against each other in a massive riot. While this is happening Terry is asleep undergoing the surgical process of the formula in a secluded room. He is injected with the Vibranium induced formula and soon after Klaw including his men break down into the facility demanding Governor Thomas Akan. Thomas surrenders and is shot by Klaw brutally. The soldiers of Wakanda hold a fight against Klaw but they are helpless to his strategic wits. Terry soon wakes up to a city in siege and questions to his life that may never be answered after finding Thomas slowly dying on the ground in front of the facility, he mumbles the words Klaw before he passes.
A wounded Erick Monger appears blaming the incident on Terry for the doing of this act of evil. Erick Monger pulls out a gun and shoots Terry. The bullet instantly bounces off him with Terry in shock. He is now virtually indestructible due to the formula. Terry runs away from Wakanda before anyone can catch up to him and untimely falls into a river from a cliff sending him upstream to a local village. There he meets a girl named Sherry who rescues him and a cast of new people willing to help him. Soon he sets his sights on the mysterious Klaw who has taken the throne of Wakanda and plans to take back his city while avenging the death of his father.
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5. Powers and Abilities / Costume : Through the formula he receives super strength and speed including being nearly indestructible. The costume is a cloak made from the skin of a real panther he earns from a town doctor in another part of the story.
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Main Casting Choices : These choices are set particularly in tune with the story I have created including the characters that have few traits relating to the original.
1. Alex Pettyfer as Terry Challace / The Black Panther - Originally known as T'Challa in the comics. Pettyfer is a brilliant actor. He has the perfect young and ambitious traits to play such a serious role as this really lost character in the story.
2. Bryan Cranston as Governor Thomas Akan - Originally the role as T'Chaka in the comics, this new version foresees the character as a major controversial political figure. Cranston can pull off a very deep role like this. This is a role which requires absolute believability since he only appears for a short time in the story. This is a role which you need the audience to instantly recognize and remember your importance which is why I feel Cranston has that remarkable sense of talent towards.
3. Ken Watanabe as Yin Si - Originally the role as S'Yan in the comics. In this portrayal he is Japanese scientist who helped developed the "The Black Panther" formula. Watanabe is a really great actor and versatile in this type of roles. Notable for his comic book role in Batman Begins he would make a great addition.
4.Robert Pattinson as Erick Monger - Originally Erik Killmonger in the comics this new version sees the character is close friends to Terry Challace before turning into the dark side of life as Wakanda is turned upside down. Pattinson is an extremely versatile actor which has his capabilities of pushing those boundaries. This role would need to relate with the main character in interaction and friendship at the start which I see this actor is in great desire of talent to make it so believable.
5.Chad L. Coleman as Klaw - In this version of Klaw he does not have his signature abilities or trademark hand but is still extremely deadly. He is a leader of a band of S. Pirates and ravagers. I haven't seen much of this actor but to me he would make the perfect adversary and nemesis for this movie.
6.Dwayne Johnson as Ape - Originally Man-Ape in the comics. In this version he is a member of Klaw's band of pirates. He is his right hand man and a fellow trust. One of the most powerful of the group and the strongest. He goes head to toe with Terry Challace near the end. What more to say about the Rock other than he is awesome.
7.Alexandra Daddario as Sherry - An original character created for the film. She is the love interest for Terry Challace. I think I had found a decent actor who definitely had experience in these type of mature roles.
8.Michael Pena as White Wolf - This version of White Wolf is a code name for an elite Soldier working with Wakanda. He is eventually sacrificed in the story. He is also a well known leader. I recently saw the actor in the film End of Watch and he would make a great leadership role as this character needs to be.
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Title of Movie: Marvel's The Black Panther or The Panther
Director: Sam Mendes - His work on films such as Skyfall and Jarhead is truly remarkable. He knows how to create a substance environment and a feel for a movie of this general nature.
Composer: Hans Zimmer - Great and brilliantly talented composer, must I explain more?
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Conclusion: I know this seems a little of an unsettling idea but this is what I believe needs to be done in order to see the character on the screen and with The Avengers. A highly diverse origin with an environment that is not limited but expansive and open ended. Please sound off your thoughts on what you think of my brilliant idea below in a civil manner.
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